The present invention relates generally to dental porcelain restorations and methods of manufacture thereof. In particular, this invention relates to a mouth simulator apparatus and method of use of the apparatus for accurately matching the color of a porcelain or composite restoration to a patient""s natural tooth color and/or to shade guide components.
In the restoration of a tooth or a set of teeth, the tooth color must be correctly selected. A tooth restoration should not only fit harmoniously into the arc of the teeth but it should also be adapted to the individual conditions of the adjacent teeth and the entire set of teeth and the oral soft tissue in its influence of colors.
Viewing the color of a finished restoration with respect to the color of teeth in a patient""s mouth to determine and evaluate whether the restoration closely matches the teeth in a patient""s mouth is subjective and can often be difficult. The existence of controlled and uncontrolled variables such as light sources, dissimilar geometries and dimensions, angles of view, and background and surrounding influences further complicate the process. Traditionally, restorations have been viewed by holding the restoration in one""s hand and using the flesh tones of one""s hand to simulate gum tissue. Viewing the restorations in this way does not create a very effective environment due to the aforementioned variables and influences present. It would be advantageous to view the restorations in an environment that provides the same light, effects and influences existing in one""s mouth.
More recent trends in the dental industry have involved spectrophotometer technology whereby a spectral camera is used to read the shades of teeth and restorations and thereby provide data which allows one to produce a restoration with dental materials having a shade which corresponds to the shade measured and received by the spectral camera. Even with the advent of spectrophotometer technology, there remains a need for the human eye to view the finished restoration in a virtual or simulated environment of one""s mouth to provide a restoration that looks as natural as possible.
It would be advantageous to reduce the subjectivity involved in determining the hue, chroma, value and translucency data. It would be beneficial to reduce the subjectivity involved in viewing finished restorations. There is a need to provide an effective environment to compare spectrophotometric readings of ceramic and composite crowns and shade guides with spectral data of intraoral spectrophotometric recordings of natural teeth.
These and other objects and advantages are accomplished by the mouth simulator apparatus of the present invention that simulates the atmosphere of the oral environment so that a dental restorative material can be viewed after manufacture and prior to insertion in the patient""s mouth. One is able to view the dental restorative material under the same lighting conditions as present in the oral cavity. The jaw bone in the oral cavity is represented by a dental arch in the mouth simulator apparatus. Pink-colored oral tissue material in the form of putty is placed on the dental arch and is somewhat soft, flexible and adaptable for embedding different-sized and -shaped dental restorations and various shade guides for shade comparison to the dental restorations.
The apparatus may be positioned in an enclosure such as in a three-sided box or similar enclosure with a dark or black interior. This reduces or blocks any light radiating from behind the apparatus, to further simulate the oral cavity since the back of one""s mouth is dark.